There are three (3) voices that comes around man in this world:

  • The voice of your affection
  • The voice of your natural understanding &
  • The voice of the Holy Spirit

The voice of your affection

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. [2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." - Colossians 3 vs 1 - 2 {KJV}

  • Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth

When a person’s affection is on an earthly thing, he will hear the voice of his affection—instructing him; directing him; counseling him; consoling him; comforting him; assuring him; reassuring him; convincing him; instructing him, to do a thing! Now, because this man is in Christ, he will think he is hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. Now that's a problem! This voice leads men to disaster—they take actions that leave them broken.

Now, let's examine a relatable example: Many Christians engage in sport bets on the confidence that they have received a clue and assurance from the Holy Spirit and their bet will play out and they will make money, only for the outcome of their bet to leave them broken and in a loss! This voice is not the voice of the Holy Spirit! If God in His word has told us to not set our affections on things on the earth, it’s obvious that He will not have dealings with us concerning an affection we have on a thing that is earthly! So it’s a waste of time, effort and resources to pray to God to make your football team win a match! God is not expecting you to be there—at such level where your affection is on football—a earthly thing that has no Divine advantage!

Every investment made on the basis of your earthly affection is a risk! because there is no assurance from God that such venture will go the way you desire it. God has told us already in His word to set our affection on things above where Christ is seated, and not on things on the earth! That does not mean that we should not engage in business or have a career! But our affection should not be on earthly things. So if you have affection for a football team so much, and some voice in your head analyses the match to you and gives you assurance that your team will win the match, and out of confidence in that voice you stake a bet for your team to win the match, trusting God to make that desire of yours happen, you are in foolishness! You have put your money at risk! Your bet will either succeed or fail, and God is not responsible for whichever outcome that plays out! because such a venture is outside God’s will for His children. God's commitment cannot be found outside His will.

If you have affection for fashion, and you embark on a journey for a fashion show because of your deep affection for fashion, on such journeys you are on your own! because you have not travelled on the basis of God’s will or instruction for your life, but on the basis of your affection on an earthly thing! Are you getting it?? You see, we put ourselves and our resources at risk when we are outside the will of God; we endanger our lives and our resources when we take steps on the basis of our affection for earthly things, and not on the basis of God's will for our lives. This is the reason why many Christians incur upon themselves financial loses, fatal injuries, and even death—because their affection on earthly things decided their decision!

Irrespective of our passion and affection for anything on the earth, we must be guided by the will of the Father always! We must choose the voice God's will over the voice of our affections. This is where safety and security is—the Father's will for our lives.

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD." - Jeremiah 23 vs 16 {KJV}

  • they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD

This is a good example of what I'm talking about. These particular prophets in Jeremiah's days prophesied their sentiments, they prophesied their affections, and not the word of God. In the same vain today, many Christians are led by the voice of their affection, thinking they are hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.



The voice of your natural understanding

This is the voice that explains details of things or events to a man; when events have happened, or when something happens, or when a man has made a terrible mistake or terrible decision, then he begins to see clearly how things should have been; he begins to understand the entire matter in a way he didn’t understand initially before he took the bad decision! This is the voice of understanding in a man! It looks like the voice of the Holy Spirit, but it’s not! Because this understanding only comes to a man after he has done wrong, or after he has made a fatal decision! You don’t have to make a fatal decision before the Holy Spirit leads you; you don’t have to fall before the Holy Spirit speaks to you on the way that you should have gone! You see… This voice is not the voice of the Holy Spirit, this is an after damage voice that connects the dots to a man, whereby the man begins to understand what he should have done, what he shouldn’t have done; the man begins to understand the situation better than he did before his mess!

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." - Acts 4 vs 13 {KJV}

  • they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus

You see…”they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus”. This is understanding that comes to a man after an event has happened! suddenly, the dots of the event are connected in his understanding, and he understands the matter better.

Now, for a Believer, the Holy Spirit brings such understanding to us after we’ve made an error due to our non-yielding to the Word of God! The Holy Spirit is our teacher, He is our strengthener:

"But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you." - John 14 vs 26 {AMP}

Glory to God! On the account of this, He gives us explanations of the Father’s will after we’ve messed up, to impart into us understanding of the Father’s will, for the purpose of we not falling into such error again! So for the Believer, the voice of understanding can be inspired by the Holy Spirit to give us perfect understanding of the Father’s will concerning the circumstances of our fall, for the purpose of strengthening us in the Father’s will. You see…

"And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, [31] And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. [32] Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. [33] Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. [34] Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: [35] But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." - Acts 10 vs 30 - 35 {King James Version}

  • Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons

When Peter heard the things which Cornelius said, his understanding of the Father’s will for mankind was refreshed! He said, “Of a truth I perceive…”. Now, this is understanding that comes to a man after an event or something has happened! But this understanding can be inspired by the Holy Spirit for a Believer, as we have seen in Peter. Glory to God.

Also,


The voice of your natural understanding is the voice of your heart which communes with you concerning knowledge which you already have about a thing, fact, idea, event or sentiment.


"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." - Psalm 4 vs 4 {KJV}


  • commune with your own heart upon your bed


Meaning, have conversation with your own heart! Which means, reason the matter with yourself; have discussion about the matter with yourself! And this is just the experience of man: we commune with our innermost selves, we commune with our own hearts, and our hearts talks to us. You can take a wrong decision, and your own heart will say to you “You’re not wise!” You will hear it! Now, a Christian who doesn’t have this enlightenment will say “the Holy Spirit said to me”, whereas, the Holy Spirit didn’t say to him, he heard the voice of his own heart! God informed Jeremiah of Prophets who prophesied like that—out of their own hearts:


"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD." - Jeremiah 23 vs 16 {KJV}


  • they speak a vision of their own heart


Pay attention!


Be careful not to say “the Holy Spirit said to me”, when it was your own heart that spoke to you. For example, if you have sentiment about a thing or someone, your heart will speak to you concerning that thing or concerning the person. If you naturally suspect someone to be evil, your heart might tell you one day “Don’t go to his house!” Now, don’t say “the Holy Spirit told me not to go to his house”—you are wrong if you say so! You simply heard the voice of your own heart, the voice of your sentiment, the voice of your natural understanding, and not the voice of the Holy Spirit. Pay attention!




The voice of the Holy Spirit

This is the voice of the Word of God.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." - John 14 vs 26 {KJV}

  • and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you

The voice of the Holy Spirit is the voice of the Word! You are about to do something, you are about to say something, you are about to take a decision, then you remember the Word! That Word which you remembered at that point is the voice of the Holy Spirit, reminding you of the Father’s will concerning that thing you are about to do or say, to either stop you from taking that action or to push you to action! Glory to God. You see...

We Believers must be attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit—which is the voice of the Word; we must be attentive to spot the Word in our hearts, which is calling for our attention in times when we are about to take decisions! That Word landed on your heart by the Holy Spirit to direct you in accordance to the Father's will, so that your words or actions will align with what the Father wants, and at the end, you bring glory to God! Amen.

Still on the voice of the Holy Spirit:

"Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, 
Act 10:18  And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 
Act 10:19  While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 
Act 10:20  Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them." - Actis 10 vs 17 - 20 {King James Version}

Here in this passage, we see the Holy Spirit speaking expressly to Peter:

  • the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them

Express! Seeing this, one might make an argument with this that the Holy Spirit talks to Christians on just any issue. Now, that's a dangerous conclusion! It's important that you understand the Holy Spirit was sent to us to carry out a ministry in us—which is the ministry of the Son of God. The Lord Jesus clearly defines the role of the Holy Spirit in the Believers—let's take a look at it:

"But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]." - John 16 vs 13 {AMP}

  • but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son]

Notice the words "the message regarding the Son". That's it! The Holy Spirit only speak to Believers on things that have to do with the Son of God; things that have to do with Salvation—because the Son came to to give Salvation to man. The Lord Jesus made it clear that the Holy Spirit will only speak on things that concerns SALVATION! Are you seeing it?? So that voice that tells you the colour of tie to wear; the particular shoe to put on; where to go to and where not to go to; the food to cook; the handbag you should use for an occassion, that voice is not the voice of the Holy Spirit! Be cautioned about the voices that lead you! Think about this.

Be cautioned about the voices that lead you!

Evil spirits seek to lead men, they seek to control men's lives—and unfortunately, many Believers are being led by evil spirits and they don't know it! they give heed to strange voices, and they say that the Holy Spirit spoke to them!!

Everywhere in the New Testament where it is recorded that the Holy Spirit spoke to a Believer, it was concerning the Son of God, it was concerning Salvation. The Holy Spirit says nothing outside the matters of the Son: if it is not about Jesus, the Holy Spirit does not speak! The Lord was clear, He said:

"But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]." - John 16 vs 13 {AMP}

  • For He will not speak on His own initiative

Meaning, the Holy Spirit does not say His own things! The Lord said "He will speak whatever He hears from the Father", then the Lord qualified that statement by saying "the message regarding the Son". That means, the things the Holy Spirit will receive from the Father and speak to Believers are things that have to do with the Son, not things that have to do with our day to day living! So that voice that controls your day to day living, telling you when to sleep; when to wake up; what to eat; what to drink and not to drink; who to associate with; who to cut off from your life; what soup to cook; what sports game to place a bet on, that is not the voice of the Holy Spirit. Wake up Believer! You've allowed strange voices run your life for a long time now! It's time to say to that voice, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus!" The voice of the Holy Spirit is in the confinement of the revelation of Jesus!

Everywhere in the New Testament where it is recorded that the Holy Spirit spoke to a Believer, it was concerning the Son of God. See another place:

"And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 
Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?" - Acts 8 vs 27 - 30 {King James Version}

  • Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot

This instruction which the Holy Spirit gave to Philip was for to bring the Ethiopian unto Salvation. You see... If you continue to read the story up to verse 35 to verse 39, you will see that the Ethiopian man got saved! Let's take a look at the verses:

"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." - Verse 35 - 39 {King James Version}

You see it?? The Lord made it clear that the Holy Spirit will speak of the message regarding the Son, and that's exactly what we've seen in the two events we have examined. If the voice you heard is not about something concerning Jesus, you have not heard the voice of the Holy Spirit.

So, so far, we have understood that,

  1. The voice of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God
  2. The voice of the Holy Spirit is a message regarding the Son

Use this understanding to judge the voices you hear, to clearly discern who is speaking to you, to clearly discern who you're hearing—whether you're hearing the voice of your affection, or the voice of natural understanding, or the voice of the Holy Spirit. God bless you.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Jenning Uweye
Teacher,
Global Bible Study Community
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